Supporting wider participation in higher education with a focus on promoting social mobilityÂ
Within this outcome grouping, the Fund seeks to make investments that contribute to widening participation and expanding access to education. This includes investing directly into higher education providers, as well as investments into other organisations running or financing educational programmes.
Higher education significantly increases lifetime earnings, especially for disadvantaged pupils and for those attending selective universities. Yet there is a widening gap in participation. Higher education progression rate for young people who are on free school meals (FSM) is only 28% in contrast to 47% for those not on free school meals (non-FSM).
The latest review of education spending highlights the fall in spending across all areas of education in the last decade: school spending per pupil in England fell by 9% in real terms between 2009–10 and 2019–20, which represents the largest cut in over 40 years.
Higher Education Progression Rate for Young People
Source: Institute of Fiscal Studies, 2020-21
Deprived schools have seen larger cuts over the last decade. The most deprived secondary schools saw a 14% real-terms fall in spending per pupil between 2009– 10 and 2019–20, compared with a 9% drop for the least deprived schools. The Pupil Premium, which is funding to improve education outcomes for disadvantaged pupils, has also failed to keep pace with inflation since 2015.
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Discover how the strategy seeks to make investments that contribute to widening participation and expanding access to education.
